VENTURES WITH JAPAN INCREASINGLY COMMON

The recently announced partnership between the Japanese camera giant -- Canon Inc. -- and Eastman Kodak Co., and the beginning of production of General Motors-Toyota cars in the country are just two of an extraordinary number of joint ventures being created by U.S. and Japanese companies.

Other industries that have formed ties with Japanese companies include steel, banking, architectural design, aircraft and computer manufacturers.

A decade from now, we'll be amazed at the number of joint ventures between the two countries. Indeed, in the context of the developing global economy, someday people may speak of "USA-Japan Inc."